Weekend Preview: Ebor the highlight on action-packed weekend

Sir Mark Prescott, trainer of Motivado.

Timeform look ahead to an action-packed weekend of racing...

The question to ask yourself on Saturday is not which horse you should back in York's incredibly competitive Ebor, but which meeting should you devote the majority or your attention to? Not an easy decision, with York, Goodwood, Newmarket, Redcar, Windsor, Cartmel and the Curragh all vying for consideration.

The focal point for many will be York, with the Ebor being the highlight of the day. Motivado looks well treated under a penalty for his Goodwood win last time and will garner plenty of support, although it may be worth given a second glance to reserve Qahriman should he make the cut.

This year's renewal of the Melrose Stakes, a handicap over the Ebor trip for three-year-olds, is a highly competitive one, with Timeform Notebook entrant Gospel Choir appealing as being capable of giving weight all round to land the spoils. Flashman and Future Security strike as being the most prevalent dangers, although there are a plethora of unexposed horses also to take into account.

The Lonsdale Cup also looks interesting, with Goodwood Cup winner Saddler's Rock up against the likes of Cavalryman, Askar Tau and Thimaar, but it is time to move onto Goodwood and take a look at the Group 2 Celebration Mile. Just six go to post but it is certainly a race of note, with Chachamaidee, who is penalised for her taking Lennox Stakes win, taking on three-year-olds Aljamaaheer and Trumpet Major. The former is progressing well and was most unlucky at Goodwood last time, not granted any sort of run in the closing stages, whilst Trumpet Major is 4 lb better off with that rival now having finished three-quarters of a length in front of him that day.

Racing on the home front on Sunday takes on a decidedly more leisurely note, with Beverley, Yarmouth and Goodwood all in action. The highlight comes at the last-named venue, with the Group 3 Supreme Stakes shaping up to be an interesting event, but it could be worth switching your attention to the Curragh.

The Group 3 Flying Five Stakes looks a tricky puzzle to solve, the potential for a big field sprint an exciting one, but the Group 2 Futurity Stakes could have a sizeable impact on the ante-post markets for next season's Classics.

A field of 14 are entered at present but the pair the take the eye are Dawn Approach, who is unbeaten in four starts to date including the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, and Mars, who was favourite for the Derby before even setting hoof on a racetrack. He duly made a most taking debut, achieving a Timeform master rating of 92P, and looks to have plenty of scope for improvement.

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